LONG BEACH >> Tsunami advisories were issued Wednesday night for parts of the Southern and Central California coast after a massive earthquake struck Chile.

The National Weather Service issued advisories covering the coast from San Onofre State Beach to Point Piedras Blancas in San Luis Obispo County.

The advisory was also in effect for the Channel Islands, according to the weather service

“If you are located in this coastal area, move off the beaches and out of harbors and marinas,” according to an NWS statement.

The advisory warned of expected strong currents that could prove “hazardous to swimmers, boats and coastal structures.”

“Areas within the advisory should not expect widespread inundation, however, there is the potential for strong currents in harbors and marinas.”

The Orange County Emergency Operations Center Public Information Hotline is open for calls about the tsunami advisory, which includes the Orange County coast. The number is (714) 628-7085.

The earthquake that spurred the warning struck off the coast of central Chile at 3:55 p.m. and had a preliminary magnitude of 8.3.

Waves were expected to arrive in Los Angeles Harbor and Newport Beach beginning about 4:45 a.m. Thursday with peak wave heights of less than a foot, according to the NWS. The first waves to hit may not be the largest, forecasters said.

At Los Angeles Harbor, a low tide of 1.8 feet will be reached at 5:28 a.m. Thursday and a high tide of 5 feet at 11:48 a.m. Thursday, according to the NWS.

The Los Angeles Fire Department announced Wednesday night it will set up a unified command post with city law enforcement, beginning at 3:30 a.m., at Angels Gate Park in San Pedro.

Authorities throughout the coastal area where the warning was in effect warned people to refrain from activities along the waterfront, including marinas and piers. Beaches, harbors and piers in Orange County would be closed as of 4 a.m., according to the Orange County coroner’s office.

Going to the coast to observe the tsunami is also a bad idea, authorities said.